A/N: Awww my goodness, the reaction from the first chapter was just... whoa! Thanks guys so much for the reviews !
Just a little recap, in the last chapter, Hino and Tsukimori were both 5 years old in kindergarden so 5 years later meant that they were 10 years old. And when you get to highschool, you're usually 15 years old by then, right? So that means that it's another 5 years after Tsukimori comes back to Japan. Not 2 years.
Everything else will be explained in the upcoming chapters. ;-)
"Mama, I'm home!" Hino enters her home after school. Hino's mother emerges from the kitchen, "Hello Hino dear, you've got a letter on the dining table." Her mother smirked. Hino smiles widely, "Wow really? He finally sent me one? Yay!" Hino ran into the dining room and saw a manila envelope with her address and name written on it from 'Tsukimori Len.'
It's been a week since he fled to Europe and he promised to write her a letter once he arrived there. And now, his letter has reached Hino. Hino got the letter, carefully opened it and read it softly to herself.
Dear Hino,
I've just arrived in Venice and the minute I got to our hotel, I got paper and pen and wrote this letter for you.
It's amazing here! The rich culture, it's beautiful buildings and you could clearly see the sunset from the balcony here. Their food is really tasty too although I'm not a fan of sweets, their hot chocolate is also delicious. I know you'd like it since you love sweet stuff, huh?
I'm actually excited to rehearse here with my parents since they invited me to perform in their concert two weeks from now. But I'm more nervous to start school here, I'm attending a private school and I'm required to learn German and Latin and other subjects here with different people.
Honestly, I wish you were here with me.
I wish I could share all of this with you because it's no fun being alone. Better yet, I'd rather go there and have some yogurt while you eat your favorite ice cream. I'd like that a thousand times more than being alone here in beautiful Venice.
But as long as I'm here, I'll continue to write to you and you better reply, okay? I'll be waiting.
You'll be waiting as well, won't you?
P.S. Hino, I actually estimated wrong. I'm gonna be back in five years. Not two, so I'm sorry. But you said you could wait longer, right? I'm sorry.
Sincerely, Tsukimori.
Hino sighed as she folded the paper back in it's envelope. 'I knew that, silly. Five years...seems so far away.' Hino stood up and got paper and started to write a letter in reply to Tsukimori's.
Dear Tsukimori,
Hey, I just read your letter and Venice does sound good. Of course it's amazing out there, it's Europe for crying out loud. Though I'm happy that you're able to experience all that, enjoy each minute of it, enjoy it while it lasts because when you come back here... I'll bet you'll miss it a lot, ahahahaha. :-p
You're going to perform with your parents? That's AH-MAZING! Aw, I'm so happy for you. I'll bet you'll do great out there and you'll be a star! :-D
Hey, don't be nervous. You'll meet new friends there and that's always a good thing. You have a friend here in Japan so you should have friends there in Venice. Learning German, huh? That'd be great, teach me some when you come back alright? I might have it here in class. :-p
Always remember, you're not the only one who's kind of sad about this. I miss you too.
Maybe I'll have some home-made hot chocolate while I wait for you, five years from now.
Sincerely, Hino.
P.S. Would you happen to send some pictures as well? I'll send some to you too. ;-)
Hino chuckled to herself as she folded her letter neatly and got an envelope to place it in, "Mama! Do you have a stamp somewhere? I need to send something to the post office!"
2 years later;
Dear Hino,
Today, I went to the theatre to rehearse yet another concert with my parents. I haven't been performing because of my studies and it doesn't seem that worthwhile. It's more like a duty to me. I find myself playing the violin but the truth is... the feeling's not the same as it was before. I try really hard but I'm not satisfied. It irritates me.
Sorry that my letters have been getting shorter and shorter, it's just that I don't have enough time anymore. If it makes you feel better, you don't have to reply to this useless letter.
Take care,
Tsukimori.
Another letter from Tsukimori. He and Hino have been exchanging letters for two years now, mostly at least ten letters a month. But something about his letters have been bothering Hino.
'Why do you write like that now, Tsukimori-kun?' Hino frowns as she places the letter on top of a pile with his other letters. Frankly, they have been getting shorter and shorter to the point that they don't seem like letters - just notes of his everyday life. 'Have you changed? What's wrong then? Why won't you tell me?'
Hino sighs and writes on an oslo paper but nothing comes out of her head. Her hand only stops until 'dear Tsukimori.'
She remembers a phrase from his previous letter, 'If it makes you feel better, you don't have to reply to this useless letter.'
"How dare he says that! What does he think of me? That I don't treasure his letters? That jerk!" Hino throws her pencil and leans her head on her hands. "Don't talk like that, Tsukimori. That isn't you." She sobs, she hates it when her angry becomes crying. Venting. Her emotions take over her and she ends up with tears.
She starts writing in frustration;
Tsukimori,
First off, I'm glad you're able to get into another concert with your parents. I saw you on t.v. once and you sounded great. But now, to the real point of this letter -
I am very, very, VERY upset that you wrote that way. Is that really you who sent this piece of paper to me or was it just some random guy who's miserable and isn't a prodigy such as yourself, because believe me, I highly doubt this is you.
I don't care if your letters are getting shorter or maybe just the size of a mouse but I actually treasure your letters and I admit - I get excited over receiving each and every one of your letters. So don't you dare think they're useless, cause they are NOT. OKAY?
Happy now? You got me really mad. Don't give me that next time.
And if it makes YOU happy, I won't be replying for awhile. I have better things to do than read your unreasonable ranting. It's not even true.
H.
The next day,Hino rushed to the kitchen to get some ice cream to cool herself down. It was what she usually did when she was in a bad mood.
But her mother noticed her unpleasant mood and approached her, "Is something the matter? There's no ice cream tonight, Hino. You finished them all up."
"Darn it." She growled. "Stupid, stupid Tsukimori."
Hino's mother led her to sit down on the sofa and she faced her daughter, "Want to talk about it?"
Hino took a deep breath, "It's Tsukimori."
"I know, what about him dear?"
"He's...changed."
Hino's mother's eyes widened, "How, Hino?"
Hino pursed her lips in a tight line before speaking, "He's been more distant than before and he doesn't share that much to me. He usually opens up, there's no secrets between us but now I feel as if... I don't know him anymore."
"I'm scared at the thought that he's so sick and tired of writing to me and that it's going to take three more years for him to come back and when he does... he'll be a totally different person. It scares me, mama. That he won't be the same guy who comes over at our place just to steal our yogurt, you know?" She giggles from recalling that memory but turns serious after, "I'm most especially scared if he treats me differently. He could treat anyone else anything he wants just... not me. I want him to still see me as his best friend the way I see him."
Her mother runs a hand through her soft hair to comfort her, "But Hino, don't you understand? You're the only one who could ever know him as much as he knows himself - maybe even more. I wouldn't be surprised if you understood him more than his parents."
"What does that have to do with him, mother?"
"It just means that, it's impossible for him to change the way he looks at you. You're such an amazing and loyal friend to him, how can he ever look at you differently when you have treated him with so much love? He's probably just in a bad mood and you shouldn't judge him for that. You should do your part as his friend to comfort him and tell him that it's all going to be alright. Okay?"
Hino twisted uneasily on her seat, "It...might be too late for that."
"Why?"
"Because I already sent my letter to him and ... it was probably a little too harsh." She bit her lip.
"Ah, Hino. You should think before you do something! Now look what you've done!"
"But mama! You said he'll forgive me anyway!"
"Ah, dear, you'll just have to wait and see. But don't worry," Her mother kissed her forehead, "Everything's going to turn out just fine."
Hino woke up early on a Saturday morning from the sound of her phone ringing. She awkwardly sat up and reached for her phone but accidentally dropped it off the side table, "Oh!"
She picked it up without looking at the caller I.D. and answered, "Hello?"
"Hino," Tsukimori muttered her name at the other end of the line, Hino instantly woke up and gasped.
"Tsukimori?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Oh my god! You - " Hino stopped mid-sentence when she remember his previous letter which was from a week ago. "You." The tone of her voice changed from light to bitter, her eyes giving a little glare.
"Hino, I'm so sorry. I..." Tsukimori sighed. "I was wrong and you were right. That wasn't me that wrote that letter to you, I was in a bad mood and rehearsals were such a drag - "
"But that doesn't mean you had to throw your anger out on me. I was still hurt by your words, for over a week if I may add."
There was a long silence a minute later and Tsukimori was the first to break it. "I didn't like it either, I didn't like the idea of not receiving your letters as well. You didn't deserve that and I promise not to do it again, please Hino. You could do anything but that to me. Just not that." His voice cracked on the last word and it caused Hino to muffle a little sob.
"It's been - so hard without you here. And to hear that from you...felt like you slapped me straight on the face." Hino let out one tear and exhaled deeply, trying to calm down. She suddenly remembered what her mother told her, "But, I know how hard it's been on you. I feel that pressure too, the way you just absorb all of the negative vibes and it pulls you down. It sucks. And I want you to know, you're not alone. I'm still here and you're still my best friend, no matter what. I forgive you and I'm sorry about my reply to you. I was in a bad mood too."
She waited for his reaction when she heard him sigh loudly, this confused her. "T-tsukimori?"
"It's nothing, I'm so...relieved."
Hino laughed, "You better be! It's so hard to stay mad at you."
"Oh, that's...nice to know."
"You're more quiet than I expected. Is this because of puberty?"
"Hino." She could almost imagine his blush coming from his lovely cheeks.
"Aww, don't blush silly boy. It was a joke."
He sighed, "I better go now. It's pretty late up here."
"Well, you called at a very early time. It's... 4 a.m."
"Good morning then, Hino. Take care."
"Good night, Tsukimori. Sweet dreams."
"Hino - wait."
"What?"
"You'll still write back to me, right? It was our pinky swear."
This makes Hino smile widely, "Of course I will. That pinky swear is sacred, now go to sleep."
"Bye."
And that's chapter two. Ahahaha, another sneak peek into their pre-teen years. Awww, they're so cute but Tsukimori's temper is just starting. He'll get grumpier and grumpier each chapter, I'll tell you that.
But for now, let's enjoy his blushing moments and a little bit more of his sweetness. :')
Please leave a review and I'll promise to reply to each one. Thanks guys !
P.S. In the next chapter, we'll finally be going into their highschool life where the story really begins, so stay tuned!
